Performance analysis of various machines, such as aircraft gas turbine engines, is becoming increasingly desirable. This is because a performance analysis may be used in the development of new engines, as well as the monitoring of presently operating engines. In particular, in the context of presently operating engines, a performance analysis may be used to identify one or more components in an engine that may be adversely impacting engine performance.
Typically, a performance analysis of a gas turbine engine (or other machine) is conducted using steady state performance data. A performance analysis conducted using performance data collected from a machine that is not running in a sufficiently steady state condition will likely not be sufficiently accurate. This could have various undesirable effects. For example, it could lead to less than optimal component design or an inaccurate engine power capability assessment.
In the context of a gas turbine engine, steady state performance data are performance data that are collected after the engine achieves thermal equilibrium. In many instances an aircraft gas turbine engine may experience few, if any, truly steady state conditions due, or example, to changes in flight conditions or engine power setting. Thus, the limitation on using steady state performance data for a performance analysis can be potentially troublesome, since the collected data may not be steady state performance data. In such instances, a performance analysis engineer may need to choose between discarding the collected data entirely, or using non-steady state performance data and compromising the accuracy of the performance analysis.
Hence, there is a need for a system and method of conducting performance analysis of a machine, such as an aircraft gas turbine engine, using performance data that are not steady state performance data. The present invention addresses at least this need.